Sunday, September 18, 2011

I started this cross stitch pattern back in February 2011, and finally finished it this past week! I was dying to share my progress as I went along, but since this was a surprise graduation gift for my daughter Chantelle (who follows our blog) I had to keep it under wraps.

Stitched using Vikki Clayton silk variegated hand dyed fibers in "Bemused" and "Maid of the Vineyard"

I had yet to frame it, so when Chantelle decided to come home to visit for a couple of days we headed to the Thread & Eye to pick out a frame. We just kept it simple and decided a on basic black frame because there was already so much going on with the fabric and variegated floss. Can't wait to see the finished product!

Since we were already in the city, we stopped by HomeSense for a look around. When we walked in and started checking things out, I came to the realization that this was Chantelle's first ever visit to this amazing store! They had a lot of neat Halloween stuff on display, so that's where we started shopping. Owls seem to be all the rage this year, so I just had to share a picture of the cute items she purchased--

We both squealed when we spotted this cute little fella at the bottom of the mug :^)

What fun we had! When we got back home, it didn't take long for Chantelle to get online and start searching for the closest store location to where she lives. I can guarantee this first visit to HomeSense won't be her last!! :^)

Monday, September 12, 2011

Fall is my favourite season. I just love the crispness in the air, and all the beauty that surrounds you when you look outside at the ever changing colours in the landscape.

I was getting the urge to stitch something autumn related, so I had a look through my patterns. I came across this free chart from DMC called Falling Leaves that I have always loved, and thought it would be the perfect choice.

When I looked at the colours that were recommended for the pattern, I just knew I had to change them. Even though the leaves aren't true "maple" leaves, those maple leave colours are what I envisioned when I first saw this pattern.

So outside I went, to the maple tree in our front yard and chose this leaf as my inspiration...

Gentle Art Sampler Threads: Avocado, Burnt Orange and Gold Leaf

It has been a fun, quick stitch so far, and when it's complete I will have a little piece of autumn inside with me year round.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Saturday, September 10, 2011

I just got home from my friends very unique wedding and I couldn't wait to download the pictures. Brook wanted to be married on this day so she could say she was married on 9.10.11. When she told me, I said "Why stop there... why not get married at 12:13." We got a little chuckle over that.

The wedding was held at the Warwick Conservation Area. It was a beautiful setting and the weather was picture perfect. Canada geese covered the lake in the background and the trees made a beautiful canopy. The sun peaked through the tree tops and it glistened off the lake in the background. After the ceremony, guests were entertained by a wagon ride throughout the conservation area while the wedding party had their photos taken.

Ok... let's get on the with picture show. Let's start with the Wedding Itinerary that doubles as a fan to cool yourself while watching the ceremony. Fantastic idea !!

While waiting for the ceremony to begin... there was so much to look at, you almost didn't know where to begin. This unique display shows you how to find your table seating. You may have to click on the picture to read the instructions.

Inside the tent every single table was set differently. Each plate was different at every setting. All the linens were unique to each table, the water jugs, silverware - everything. And the teapots and pails served as the centerpieces for the flower arrangements.

Now onto the Registry Table. I Love this look.... you know me and the Victorian style....

My Table Marker and Napkin - so pretty.

Now here's the part I really LOVE. The bride made all the bouquets herself. She made them out of brooches. Some of the brooches in her bouquet had belonged to her grandmother. I picked up the bouquet to take a picture of it and man... was it Heavy!

Let's top off that bling bouquet with a little bling footware.

Her daughter, the Jr. Maid of Honour carried a slightly different version to suit her style. Doesn't she look just like her mother? Very pretty Brennah!

This is the Maid of Honour's bouquet. I love how unique this is. Amanda looks so happy in the picture below. Brook knew right away this is what she wanted for the bouquets for her wedding. She should be a wedding planner, she has some very unique ideas.

The Dinner Menu was propped up against a tree and written on a chalk board and sitting on a wash tub. Oh my goodness, the meal was fantastic!

The meal was topped off with a cake made by the bride's mother and her daughter, and several varieties of homemade pies made by the grooms mom. It was really hard to decide just what to have for dessert.

Wait a second... is that what I think it is.... ? Oh my goodness, look at the table favours.

Chocolate / Caramel covered candy apples. Yum!! All of the invitations, thank you cards, table markers etc were made by the bride.

Friday, September 9, 2011

This past Wednesday night was our monthly cross stitch meeting. It was Anita's turn to host, and we had the special treat of spending the evening in the darling log cabin that they have on their property.

The cabin is equipped with all the necessities you would need to spend a few days there, and Anita has decorated the interior to make it feel all warm and inviting.

Anita is one talented lady! Not only does she cross stitch, she quilts, sews, knits and crochets among other things!! One of the things that catches your eye when you first walk in, is this beautiful, colourful quilt that Anita custom made to fit above the sofa. The leaf motif fits in perfectly with the woods surrounding the cabin, and gives the room that wonderful fall feeling.

She also made these cute little curtains with some of the same fabric along with a co-ordinating runner for the table.

Notice how the little bowls match the colours in the fabric??... Perfect! :^)

It was another great night spent together with laughter, yummy food, stitching and most of all friendship. Thanks again to Anita for being such a gracious hostess!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

A little over a month ago, I was over at Rose Tinted Enchantments visiting Jon Lee's blog. She had posted about having purchased two of the same kit of The Magic Forest by Elsa Williams. Since she only needed the one, she said that if someone was interested in having the other one, all they had to do was be the first person to make a comment and ask for it. Well it turned out I was that lucky person!!

Now along with the kit, Jon Lee said she would also include some fabric, patterns and a few other surprises. WOW... was I SURPRISED!!

When my package arrived, it was chock full of goodies...

Four pieces of fabric (love the yummy colours)...

Five patterns (2 of these even included the threads - most of them silk - to stitch with)...

Thanks again to Jon Lee for adding a bright spot to my day with her generosity!!

Contributors

About Us

Hello and welcome! We're Jody, Tracey, Bonnie and Anita, and we're so glad you stopped by our blog for a visit!

Our love of stitching is what brought our group together 20 years ago, but what we truly cherish is the amazing friendship that the 4 of us share; a bond which continues to grow stronger as the years go by.

As you read our blog, you will see it has a little bit of everything - hence the name, More Than Just Cross Stitchin'. We hope you'll come back again soon!

Charlie Brown

Growing up, I had a pet monkey named Charlie Brown. Actually, he belonged to my sister and he came to live with us in 1966. You were actually allowed to have monkeys as pets then and if you can beleive it, he was ordered from an ad in the back of a magazine. Charlie Brown was a squirrel monkey (just like the ones in the Telus commericials).

Everyone in school loved when it was my turn for 'show and tell'. You will see in some of the photos (if the slide show downloads for me...) that he used to wear diapers. Eventually, he learned how to take them off. We had a rope strung across the kitchen from end to the other. We kept a piece of papertowel on the floor at the end of one rope and that's where he did his business. His rope provided many hours of entertainment. At bedtime, if mom and dad were not home when it was bedtime, he would sit on his roap and cry out until they returned.

If I was crying, Dad would put him up to my face to lick away my tears. He would dangle from my hair and lick from one eye to the next. It alwyays made me stop crying. He would play outside and every once in awhile he would swing from tree to tree and end up down the street at the neighbours.

Often you would find the monkey lying in the cast iron pan on the stove. The pilot light from the gas stove provided him a warm and comfy spot. He would also sit on top of the lamp shade for warmth, and if you ever heard a 'pop' - you knew he peed on the lightbulb. It happens...

Charlie Brown used to sit on the wall phone.... until it rang. That was always funny. He brought many years of amusement to us all and I miss him and his antics.

Bonnie

Welcome to Jody's

It's a Dishcloth!

No... It's 2 Perfect Ones!

Anita's Chicken

Anita created this from looking at a picture from a magazine. No pattern. THAT girl !!!

Tracey working away with her crochet hooks she bought when she was in Grade 7 along with a beginner book. Her determination to learn by herself at such a young age is admiring.

Here is one of Tracey's projects on the go.

Anita's handy work

Warm toes

Warm hearts ... and warm toes!

Well since we are talking winter, let's talk about warm hearts ... and warm toes.

A few years ago at Christmas we had a gift exchange. Ironically, both Anita and myself had the exact same idea for a present. We always open our gift bags at the same time, and it was really hard for me to keep a straight face when I saw that Anita had had the same gift idea as me and while she explained that she thought slippers would be a good idea, that way we could carry them in our bag with us at all times. Anita had knit slipppers for everyone and made a little draw-string pouch, with our names embroidered on it, to keep the socks in.

Then they all opened my gift bag and we burst out laughing. I knew how much everyone loved snowmen, so I had stitched faces on white slippers and added a carrot button for the nose. Well we weren't finished with the laughter because I thought we should get a picture with our slippers on. So then we were all sitting on the floor trying to get different positions in order to get everyone in the picture at the same time. We tried sitting up against the wall and taking the picture of our toes all pointing up to the ceiling and then I said, nooooo - that will show the snowman's face upside down. Someone said... (and I won't say who...) "Good point, let's think of something else. What if we lay on our back with our feet in the air - you know... like if our feet were ON the ceiling"

Well then the faces would still be upside down wouldn't they. Spontanious Laughter.

We had to think of something else. It was decided that we would just stand toe to toe in a huddle and we would take the picture from above in order to get everyone in the picture. Sounded like a good plan right?

Well... not if you have a protruding belly and/or big boobs. After the inital light-headedness subsided from sucking in our bellies, we had to deal with the shadow from the boobs.

So we stood in our huddle, adjusting, wiggling and laughing with our arms around each other while we tried not to tip over. It was about that moment when Anita's daughter walked in on us, which of course added to the laughter when we saw the look on her face.

Finally the photo was taken and our toes are doubly warm.

Bonnie

Where Does the Time Go?

Heatwave July 21, 2011

Anita's Lucky Charm

Winter Storm December 12, 2010

The storm didn't stop this Bloomin' Rose

Happy Birthday Dad

Dad was born on Armistice Day - November 11, 1918. Shown here with his favourite show off 'Charlie Brown' the monkey.

The Feathered Nest

Quite some time ago when I was perusing the Dollarama, I came across the cutest autumn tea towel with a teddy bear dressed up like a scarecrow. It immediately reminded me of Jody and I thought 'I'm going to get that for her', and then I thought... why not get one for everybody? And so I did and it was a hit.

From that point on, it's no surprise to any of us if there just happens to be an occasional 'mini gift' exchange on Cross Stitch night. Once when Jody hosted in February, she gave us all a tiny picture frame with a 1" x 1" opening. I had no idea what to do with mine, but Tracey knew immediately. Because it was Valentines day, Tracey stitched a heart.

Mine sat for a good number of months before I could figure out what I could stitch in such a tiny area and not copy Tracey's idea. And then one day it hit me; Jody loves snowmen. I would do a snowman in the frame that Jody gave me. But.... do they make snowman patterns for less than 1" x 1"? I couldn't be bothered looking, so I winged it. And voila! A happy smiley snowman face. I think it took longer to write this posting than it did to stitch that happy face.

We'll have to get a picture of Tracey's heart posted after her renovations are complete as I expect it's packed away for now.